There's always a new restaurant opening in Westwood, whether in Westwood Village or further south along Westwood Boulevard. I'm not sure why the turnover in the area seems higher than in other places, but I suspect it has to do with very high westside rents battling against a very budget-conscious college market.

The most recent opening I noticed is Fresh Corn Grill, a few blocks south of the campus area on Westwood Boulevard. We stopped in for lunch.

The menu is very simple, and contrary to the restaurant's name, not all dishes are made with corn. In fact, the only things that are specifically corn are the Fresh Corn Soup for $3.95, a couple of salads that include corn, and a side dish of grilled corn. The rest of the menu is typical for a small cafe/bistro: salads, sandwiches, pizza, and pasta. The $4.95 kids' menu has grilled chicken strips, penne with tomato sauce, and cheese pizza.

I tried a simple Caesar salad. The ingredients were fresh and though I was disappointed that there were no whole anchovies added on top, I could taste them in their housemade dressing. Croutons were oily-crisp, but delicious nonetheless. My friend had the Grilled Chicken Sandwich that is served on freshly baked panini-style bread. The chicken comes with either a cajun or citrus sauce, as well as a choice of either a red cabbage slaw or a green salad. Though the sandwich was good, the red cabbage slaw tasted like nothing more than red cabbage dressed with vinegar. 

Our lunch was nothing special in terms of taste, but it is worth noting that it seemed slightly expensive for a small walk-up counter style restaurant. The sandwich was $8.95, and between two people, including drinks, the total bill for lunch was over $20. I didn't mind too much, but it seems a little steep for college students in the area.

Fresh Corn Grill
1510 Westwood Boulevard
Westwood, CA 90024
(310) 470-0414
www.freshcorngrill.com
Mon-Fri 11AM-9PM, Sat 11:30AM-9PM

More reviews of Fresh Corn Grill:
Hungry Critic gives it a high 5-star rating
Chowhound, Los Angeles
eGullet poster ayana impressed by corn chowder